Meet the 2026 Star Nation Experience Winners

#StarNation - Your passion for the Western Star way of life came through loud and clear once again in the 2026 Star Nation Experience entries. From hardworking owner-operators to dealership partners and American Truck Simulator fans, the competition was tougher than ever with over 3,500 entries submitted. When Star Nation shows up, they show up. 

We’re excited to officially introduce the 2026 Star Nation Experience winners, who will join us in Bend, Oregon, from June 5–8 for an unforgettable weekend of camaraderie and adventure.

This year’s crew will put their skills to the test during a new-for-2026 operator showdown at Western Star’s private test facility, the Daimler Truck Proving Grounds. The winners will spend the day behind the wheel of the latest X-Series as they navigate different hands-on challenges and true #NeverBackDown off-road experiences. To celebrate the hardworking community of Star Nation, the team behind all things Western Star, from X-Series development to marketing, takes the winners out on an adventure day with fly-fishing and ATV adventures through the Cascades.

We can’t wait to welcome these dedicated members of the Star Nation family to Bend, OR, for an unforgettable weekend of adventure, competition, and everything that makes Star Nation special.

Meet the 2026 Star Nation Experience winners:

Nathan Anstey: 
Operator and American Truck Simulator Enthusiast, Milverton, ON 
Social Media: Instagram
Dealer Group: Metro Truck Group

Nathan’s love for trucks and heavy equipment started as a kid, watching Mighty Machines and playing with Tonka Trucks. Today, he operates a truck both on the road and virtually as an American Truck Simulator gamer. Both of his rigs are Western Stars, of course.

An operator for nearly a decade, Nathan’s current ride is a 2019 Western Star 4900, which he often uses to rescue antique machinery, hauling it to a central location for refurbishing and resale. Nathan says a Western Star was the first truck he ever operated, roughly a decade ago, and his love for the brand has never waned. 

A slow winter season in 2026 led Nathan to join up with the American Truck Simulator community. He misses hitting the road during down times but the Western Star 49X he plays keeps him connected to the operator experience and fellow truck enthusiasts.

Social media posts from Star Nation standouts like Casey LaDelle (@CaseyLaDelle) and Jarett Dorman (@cranetruckguy) are what attracted Nathan to the Star Nation Experience. He is most excited about getting behind the wheel of new 49X trucks and taking on the ultimate operator challenge.

In his free time, Nathan enjoys spending time with his daughter and camping.

Brent Deal: 
Owner-Operator at Hoffman Trucking LLC, Kansas, USA  
Social Media: Facebook 
Dealer Group: Truck Center Companies 

Brent grew up in a trucking family, so the industry has always been part of his life. He’s been around trucks for as long as he can remember and has now spent more than 30 years behind the wheel himself. At 43 years old, that means he got an early start, though he jokes his dad probably only let him steer into the driveway back then. 

Today, Brent operates a 2025 Western Star 49X, spending most of his time on construction sites and hauling wherever the job takes him. What drew him to Western Star was the classic look and feel of what he calls a “real truck.” 

For Brent, the best part of the job is simple: getting the work done right and helping customers keep their project moving. 

When he’s not on the road, Brent takes to the airways as a private pilot and owner of a single-engine Cessna 177 Cardinal. A few times a year, he flies to Texas to visit his granddaughter and spend some time fishing. 

This second-generation operator’s eyes were opened to the Star Nation Experience when visiting Western Star’s booth at the 2026 ConExpo. He says it just sounded like a great event to take part in. Everything from the operator showdown to the fly-fishing excursion to ATV wheeling immediately appealed to him.

Steven England: 
Owner-Operator at Thrive Trucking, Ontario, CAN 
Social Media: TikTok, Instagram 
Dealer Group: Antrim Truck Centre

The son of a truck operator, Steven’s love for big rigs goes back to his earliest memories of his father heading out on the highway in his 18-wheeler.

As a young adult, Steven worked as a mechanic until an opportunity arose to be both a truck technician and an operator at the same company. After spending more than a decade behind the wheel of a semi-truck, he made the leap to owner-operator in 2022. 

Steven chose a Western Star 49X based on his experience with the brand. Time and again, he found Western Star trucks delivered the comfort and reliability he needed to get the job done. Today, he says climbing into his 49X is still his favorite part of the workday. 

Looking ahead to the Star Nation Experience, Steven is excited to spend time with fellow truck enthusiasts and connect with the people behind the Western Star brand and products. He’s also looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the latest X-Series trucks during the operator challenge and seeing how they perform firsthand. As his first trip outside of Canada, the experience is already shaping up to be an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. 

When he’s not on the road, Steven enjoys spending time with his wife and kids. In the winter months, you can usually find him on the ice playing hockey. 
 

Caroline Hamby:
Owner of Roll Off Chick, Florida, USA  
Social Media: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook 
Dealer Group: Freightliner of Broward  

Growing up around her parents’ paving company gave Caroline a deep appreciation for trucking, construction, and the people who keep America moving.

While serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, she worked in hazardous waste operations. Not long after, she turned that experience into a business, starting her own environmental response company. Residential and commercial customers along Florida’s Atlantic coast affectionately refer to her as “Hazmat Chick.”

Caroline recently added two Western Star trucks to her fleet — a 49X triaxle and a 47X tandem. She says her Western Stars have proven themselves capable of handling even the toughest workloads. She also appreciates the comfort, visibility, and overall performance they provide her operators.

Today, this successful entrepreneur sees Western Star as a brand that represents hard work, durability, and pride in the trucking industry. That’s why she plans to add another X-Series to her fleet later this year.

Caroline sees the Star Nation Experience as a great opportunity to learn more about the brand, see new equipment, and build relationships with other hardworking people in the Star Nation community. 

When not hazmatting, Caroline enjoys giving back to the community through volunteering, donating, and mentoring. Supporting kids, women, and veterans is especially important to her because she knows how much guidance, encouragement, and opportunity can impact someone’s future. 

Lisandro Lee “Mr. Lee”:
Operator at Badger, North Carolina, USA 
Social Media: TikTok, Instagram 
Dealer Group: RJames Management Group

A deep appreciation for hard work, heavy equipment, and the blue-collar lifestyle is what drew Lisandro to a career in construction. He likes the idea of a job where every day is hands-on, and the work actually matters. What motivates him most is being able to provide for his family, learn valuable skills, and take pride in doing a tough job that not everyone can do. And that’s about as Star Nation as it gets. 

Lisandro has been a concrete pump operator for 18 years and a hydrovac operator for 3 years, relying on the 47X to get the job done. He loves the bold look and presence the X-Series brings to the road and job sites and believes no truck brand better represents the blue-collar work ethic than Western Star — rugged, dependable, and built for the job. Through his personal operating experience, Western Star has become the brand he trusts most.

Currently working with Badger Infrastructure Solutions — North America’s largest hydrovac service provider, with a fleet of more than 1,750 hydrovacs operating across 140+ locations in the U.S. and Canada — Lisandro takes pride in being part of an industry leader that shares his commitment to hard work and reliability.

Lisandro applied to the Star Nation Experience because he views it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet other operators and enthusiasts who share the same passion for Western Star trucks and to learn more about the company and people behind the brand. He looks forward to the challenges ahead and visiting Oregon for the first time.

Matt Raulston: 
Owner-Operator at Raulston Land & Timber, Texas, USA 
Social Media: Facebook 
Dealer Group: Lonestar Truck Group (Texarkana) 

At an early age, Matt cut his teeth, and a whole lot of timber, at the Texas sawmills his family operated. Today, he and his brother run a respected forestry, logging, and land management business that relies on trucks to haul pine, sweetgum, and hardwood across Arkansas and Northeast Texas.

Raulston Land & Timber has grown into one of the region’s largest timber suppliers. For the past 18 years, the company has harvested and transported timber throughout the area, supported by a fleet of more than 30 trucks. 

Matt says Western Star trucks have served the business well, providing the power, comfort,  and durability needed for demanding forestry work. He also points to their strong resale value, which has helped make them a smart investment for his operation. 

Looking ahead to the Star Nation Experience, Matt is excited for the opportunity to see what’s coming next from Western Star and learn more about the future of the brand. 

Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, competing in local rodeos and roping events. He also enjoys hunting and talking trips with his wife. 

Andy Salenbein:
Owner-Operator at Salenbien Trucking and Excavating, Inc., Michigan, USA 
Social Media: LinkedIn 
Dealer Group: Valley Truck Centers Toledo Freightliner 

Andy’s career as a truck operator began when he turned 16, hauling grain and farm materials for a local farmer after school and on weekends. Following graduation in 1999, he became a partner in his brother’s business, Salenbien Trucking & Excavating, located in Dundee Michigan. 

One of the first trucks they bought was a used Western Star 4900 which Andy personally drove for several years. He says the reliability and toughness of that first truck were instrumental in the long-term success of the business. 

Fast forward 20 years, and an advertisement for the “new 49X” caught Andy’s eye and he instantly fell in love with the aesthetics and presence of this industry disrupting Western Star model. After a test ride, he and his brother quickly made the decision to order four X-Series trucks. Andy says just like his original 4900, the X-Series have proven to be plenty tough and reliable.

Today, Andy runs the business on his own, sadly losing his brother in 2018. The company’s fleet has grown into eighteen 49X tractors and a pair of 47X quad axle dump trucks. Four more 49X tractors are set for delivery soon.

What most excites Andy about the 2026 Star Nation Experience is the new operator showdown taking place at the Madras Proving Grounds. As he puts it, “Clearly these trucks have been put to the test both on the road and off-road. I am excited to see exactly what these trucks are put through.” 

Conor Woofter: 
American Truck Simulator Enthusiast, California, USA 
Social Media: Instagram 
Dealer Group: California Truck Centers

Conor has been playing American Truck Simulator (ATS) since shortly after the game launched in 2016. Over the years, he has logged more than 4,000 hours behind the virtual wheel, making him a seasoned veteran of the hyper-realistic open road in ATS. 

Semi-trucks, pickup trucks, and cars have been a major part of Conor’s life since childhood, which made ATS an easy fit when it was introduced. When it’s time to haul heavy loads in the game, he typically chooses the Western Star 49X. He appreciates the truck’s capabilities and sees Western Star as a brand built for demanding jobs both in the game and in the real world.  

One of Conor’s favorite aspects of ATS is the ability to customize trucks for different applications. Between the game’s extensive spec’ing options and detailed gameplay, he finds the experience both immersive and enjoyable. 

Conor submitted his entry for the Star Nation Experience because he saw it as a rare opportunity to learn more about the trucking industry, get an up-close look at Western Star trucks, and meet others who share his passion for trucking. He’s especially looking forward to the competitive events and experiences that await. 

Jack (Jody) Young: 
Owner of J Vent Trucking, Ohio, USA 
Dealer Group: Fyda Freightliner Western Star 

More than three decades ago, Jody Young was working on dump trucks for a friend’s family business when an unexpected opportunity changed the course of his career. When the crew was short-handed, Jody took on additional responsibilities to help support operations. That experience eventually led him to earn his CDL and expand his skills beyond maintenance into truck operation.

In 2000, Jody bought his first dump truck as a second means of income, running his own hauling business on the side. Today, he operates a fleet of nine dump trucks serving the local construction industry. Three of those are 49Xs.

Jody has been a loyal customer of the Fyda dealer group since 2012, which is located near his home in Ohio. He says the dealer’s parts, service, and customer care are just as extraordinary as the Western Stars he purchases there. 

Despite growing the business, Jody still enjoys working on his own trucks whenever he can. 

Looking ahead to the Star Nation Experience, Jody is excited to meet others from around the country who enjoy trucking as much as he does.

When he’s away from work, Jody enjoys what he calls his “husband, father and grandfather activities”, including boating, bike riding, and mowing close to five acres of lawn.

Dustin Schwartzenberger: 
Fyda Western Star Dealer Group, Ohio, USA 
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn 
Dealer Group: Fyda Freightliner Western Star 

A Fyda vocational truck sales rep for the past 15 years, Dustin will be representing the dealer side of the Star Nation community at this year’s Star Nation Experience. He gained some relevant experience behind the wheel when, at the age of 23, he purchased a 6-axle dump truck and ran it for several years.  

Dustin says the best part of his job is helping customers find the right truck for their operation. Western Star lets his team build pretty much anything, from multiple PTO configurations to multiple factory-installed axles. He also appreciates the support Western Star provides when building some of the more highly integrated trucks. As he puts it, “Everyone likes to put their own twist or branding on their Western Stars.”

Dustin’s favorite Western Star feature is the spacious cab, and he’s especially fond of the X-Series lineup for its styling, comfort, and road presence. Dustin says one of the most rewarding parts of the job is the relationships he’s built with customers over the years, many of whom he now considers close friends. 

Dustin looks forward to hanging out with his customer Jody Young at the Star Nation Experience and getting in some fly-fishing in the scenic Pacific Northwest. When he’s not tending to customer needs, Dustin can usually be found caring for his herd of cattle and baling hay on his family farm. 

Erron Collins: 
Operator at Samuel, Son & Co., Ontario, CAN 
Social Media: TikTok, Instagram  
Dealer Group: Premier Truck Group 

For the past 16 years, Erron Collins has built a career hauling steel and taking on the challenges that come with it. He takes tremendous pride in his 2022 Western Star 4900EX and says working with a company he respects makes the job even more rewarding.

With a mother who is a third-generation truck driver, Erron says he was practically born in a truck. His appreciation for Western Star began at an early age, and he always dreamed of owning a LowMax. When it came time to upgrade, and that model was no longer available, he worked to build a 4900EX that came as close as possible to the truck he had envisioned for years.

Erron first learned about the Star Nation Experience while watching videos on YouTube. After seeing Casey LaDelle share highlights from a previous event, he decided to submit an entry of his own. Although he figured winning would be a long shot, he thought it was worth a try.

Now selected for the Star Nation Experience, Erron says it's impossible to choose just one thing he's looking forward to most. He's excited for every part of the experience.

When he's not on the road, Erron enjoys spending time with his wife, watching football, firing up the barbecue, and working on his truck and trailers.

Andrew Crudge: 
Premier Truck Group, Ontario, CAN 
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn 
Dealer Group: Premier Truck Group

Andrew's passion for trucking started at a young age, following his father around the industry whenever he had the chance. Weekends, holidays, and summers were often spent around trucks, and before long, he knew it was the career path he wanted to pursue.

Today, Andrew is approaching six years with Premier Truck Group in London, Ontario and has 21 years of in-dept knowledge of the vocational trucking industry. What began as polishing and detailing trucks has evolved into a role that touches nearly every aspect of dealership operations. Along the way, Western Star became his brand of choice, drawn by both the trucks themselves and the loyal customer base behind them.

One of Andrew's favorite parts of the job is helping customers build trucks that solve operational needs while reflecting their personal style and company brand. Whether it's one-of-a-kind paint schemes, drop visors, hoop fenders, custom exhaust, or other personalized touches, he enjoys helping customers bring their vision to life. As Andrew points out, good operators can be hard to find, and a fully loaded Western Star is one way to show them they're valued.

Andrew believes Western Star's loyal following comes from a company that continues to improve its products while remaining focused on the customer experience. That commitment, he says, is what sets the brand apart.

At the Star Nation Experience, Andrew is looking forward to learning even more about the brand. He believes that the better he knows, understands, and lives the Western Star brand, the better he can serve his customers.

When he's not at the dealership or talking trucks, Andrew enjoys golfing with his sons and cheering them on at their competitive baseball games.

Ronald Byrd: 
Star Nation Experience Alumni, 2025 
Owner/Operator, Texas, USA 
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram 
Dealer Group: Premier Truck Group (Texas)  

We welcome back 2025 Star Nation Experience winner Ronnie Byrd, who returns in 2026 as a team captain and coach.

One of Ronnie's favorite parts of last year's event was the friendships he built with fellow participants. He still keeps in touch with many of them through the Star Nation 2025 group chat and is looking forward to reconnecting while helping this year's finalists get the most out of the experience.

What impressed Ronnie most during last year's event was the opportunity to meet the people behind the X-Series trucks. Learning more about the development, testing, and engineering that go into every Western Star gave him a deeper appreciation for the brand and the people behind it.

This year, Ronnie is excited to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and learn about the latest Western Star innovations, including the new Detroit engine and aftertreatment system coming in 2027. He's also hoping for a little better luck during the annual fly-fishing excursion after coming up empty-handed on the trout front last year.

For this year's finalists, Ronnie's advice is simple: bring a positive attitude, ask questions, learn as much as you can, and enjoy every minute of the experience. The week goes by quickly, so take it all in.

Jarett Dorman: 
Star Nation Experience Alumni, 2023 
Owner/Operator, British Columbia, CAN 
Social Media: Instagram, TikTok 
Dealer Group: Cullen Western Star Trucks Ltd. 

Welcome back, Jarett, an OG 2023 Star Nation Experience finalist who returns this spring as a team captain and coach.

Looking back on his Star Nation Experience, Jarett says the relationships he built left the biggest impression. For him, the event was about much more than trucks—it was about the people, the connections, and the friendships that continue long after the experience ends. When he received the call inviting him back as a coach, he could hardly believe it. He immediately knew he was in for another unforgettable weekend.

That experience three years ago also sparked a new level of motivation. Inspired by the people he met and the memories he made, Jarett continued growing his social media presence and building his @CraneTruckGuy brand. He says Western Star and #CraneTruckGuy have always been a natural fit.

As he prepares for this year's Showdown, Jarett is most excited to meet the new finalists, build new friendships, and compete alongside his team. His advice to participants is simple: enjoy every moment, put yourself out there, talk to everyone, and take it all in. He believes every person at the event has a unique story to share and something valuable to teach.

For Jarett, it is the people that make the Star Nation Experience special. The trucks may bring people together, but it's the relationships, memories, and shared experiences that leave a lasting impact long after the event is over.